AB 2466 guarantees a more inclusive democracy by ensuring that state law reflects recent court decisions about the voting rights of those convicted of a crime.

The right to vote is core to our democracy. California voters made their will known in 1974 when they voted to amend the state constitution and suspend voting rights only for those convicted of a felony and serving a sentence in state prison or on parole.

AB 2466 clarifies current law, making it less likely that citizens will be unfairly denied their voting rights. That is one of the reasons why the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials and Secretary of State Alex Padilla support AB 2466.

Opponents to AB 2466 think that protecting the right to vote as outlined in our constitution somehow makes us all unsafe. To the contrary, recent evidence suggests that civic engagement and voting can actually help people return to their communities and reduce their chances of going back to prison. Which may be why good government groups like the League, ACLU of California, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Attorney General Kamala Harris all support AB 2466.